Where Dahpne, now a tree as once a maid,
Still from Apollo vindicates her shade,

Still turns her beauties from th' invading beam,
Nor feeks in vain for fuccour to the Stream.
The stream at once preferves her virgin leaves,
At once a shelter from her boughs receives,
Where Summer's beauty midst of Winter stays,
And Winter's Coolnefs fpite of Summer's rays.

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30

WE E PING.

WHILE Celia's Tears make forrow bright,

Proud Grief fits fwelling in her eyes;

The Sun, next those the fairest light,

Thus from the Ocean first did rife : And thus thro' Mifts we see the Sun, Which else we durft not gaze upon.

These filver drops, like morning dew,
Foretell the fervour of the day:

So from one Cloud foft show'rs we view,

And blafting lightnings burft away.

The Stars that fall from Celia's eye,
Declare our Doom in drawing nigh.

The Baby in that funny Sphere

So like a Phaëton appears,

That Heav'n, the threaten'd World to spare,
Thought fit to drown him in her tears:

Elfe might th' ambitious Nymph afpire,
To fet, like him, Heav'n too on fire.

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40

45

V..

E. of ROCHESTER

On SILENCE.

I.

ILENCE! coeval with Eternity;

SIL

Thou wert, ere Nature's felf began to be, 'Twas one vast Nothing, all, and all slept fast in thee..

II.

Thine was the fway, ere heav'n was form'd, or earth, Ere fruitful Thought conceiv'd creation's birth, 5 Or midwife Word gave aid, and spoke the infant forth. III.

Then various elements, against thee join'd,
In one more various animal combin'd,

And fram'd the clam'rous race of busy Human-kind.

IV.

The tongue mov'd gently first, and speech was low, 'Till wrangling Science taught it noise and show, I I And wicked Wit arose, thy most abusive foe.

V.

But rebel Wit deferts thee oft' in vain;

Loft in the maze of words he turns again,

And feeks a furer ftate, and courts thy gentle reign. 15

VI.

Afflicted Senfe thou kindly doft fet free,
Opprefs'd with argumental tyranny,

And routed Reason finds a safe retreat in thee,

VII.

With thee in private modest Dulness lies,

And in thy bofom lurks in Thought's disguise; 20 Thou varnisher of Fools, and cheat of all the Wife!

VIII.

Yet thy indulgence is by both confest;
Folly by thee lies fleeping in the breast,

And 'tis in thee at laft that Wifdom feeks for reft.

IX.

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Silence the knave's repute, the whore's good name, The only honour of the wishing dame; Thy very want of tongue makes thee a kind of Fame.

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X:

But could'st thou feize fome tongues that now are free,

How Church and State fhould be oblig'd to thee?

At Senate, and at Bar, how welcome would't thou be?"

XI.

Yet fpeech ev'n there, fubmiffively withdraws,

From rights of fubjects, and the poor man's cause : Then pompous Silence reigns, and ftills the noifyLaws,

XII.

Paft fervices of friends, good deeds of foes, What Fav rites gain, and what the Nation owes, Fly the forgetful world, and in thy arms repose.

XIII.

The country wit, religion of the town,

The courtier's learning, policy o'th' gown,
Are best by thee exprefs'd; and shine in thee alone.

XIV.

The parfon's cant, the lawyer's sophistry, Lord's quibble, critic's jeft; all end in thee, All rest in peace at last, and fleep eternally.

;

VO L. II.

P

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